


evidence of love

by elios (zostir)



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Day 6: Music & Song, Day 6: Swap, Fluff, Leokasa Week, M/M, Songwriting, The author doesn't know, are they together????, completely in love w each other and not even realizing, heir!Leo, or are they being their usual selves, songwriter!Tsukasa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:16:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23819710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zostir/pseuds/elios
Summary: It's all Leo's fault, if Tsukasa started to compose songs. They are the outlet for his feelings, an unrequited love for a noble king who was blessed at birth.He doesn't realize that Tsukasa is all the heir has ever wished for.
Relationships: Suou Tsukasa/Tsukinaga Leo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34
Collections: Leokasa Week





	evidence of love

**Author's Note:**

> **day 6:** music & song - swap  
> i wish i took more time working on this one. still, i had fun imagining how tsukasa and leo would be if they were in each other's position. expect, maybe, slight ooc due to the fact that their upbringings are different, and perfectible writing, but i'm midly satisfied with this one.

Tsukasa started composing songs after he heard Leo singing for the first time.

He wasn't very good at it at first, and even now, his compositions are average at best. They lack something, but he doesn't know why. Experience, for sure; he is nothing but a rookie, he doesn't know that much about music, and it's impossible to build his culture in only a year. Passion, maybe; he is devoted to his art and never leaves one of his works unfinished, but he sometimes has to force himself to complete them. He will spend hours on a single piece, on a single line of the score, sometimes focusing his whole attention on a single note. Tsukasa is no genius, but he's hardworking, and his efforts make up for his lack of talent. Still, it's not enough. 

Maybe what Tsukasa lacks is an inspiration. 

Inspiration, one of Leo's favorite words - the boy shouting it each time he has a new idea for one of Knights' performances. And he will scream it, no matter where he is or who can hear him; be it in the middle of a frequented alleyway, while elbowing his way through, or outside, his fiery hair dancing in the wind, Leo vents his ideas, smile wide and arms spread out. 

So Tsukasa doesn't mind when he has to search for him all around the school to force him to go to practice. This is fitting: the mediocre squire looking after the brilliant king, since this is all someone like him, born with nothing but a clever mind, can do. 

*

Leo fits most of the criteria to call someone a prince or a king. If you forget about his personality - which is execrable, but understandable when you know he's in a rebel phase - then you get the perfect image of a prince charming. Rich, handsome, gallant. 

Tsukasa fell for him at first sight. 

Eyes greener than a forest, the brightest smile you can imagine on top of thin, well-drawn lips, facial features as delicate as a porcelain doll's, Leo was graced by nature at birth. And when he wears his stage outfit, much more elegant than his oversized sweatshirt and hideous boots, a little crown sometimes on top of his head, he looks like he comes straight from a fairy tale. It's no wonder people starting calling him _king_ whenever he performed, and when he claimed the title for himself, it suited him too well to raise protests. 

If the emperor is the heir of the Tenshouin, and the king the heir of the Tsukinaga, then Yumenosaki is truly a reflection of society. 

And how good are Leo's expressions when he looks at Tsukasa - this never fails to wake the butterflies sleeping in his stomach. 

"Suoooo", he says, and he has this look again, one that mixes fondness and annoyance, "give me a new song for Knights!" 

This isn't the first time Leo asks; he doesn't seem to notice how bland Tsukasa is, how bland his songs are. They're love songs, for the most part, and none of them can express the depth of the feeling for the beautiful boy leaning over him. 

Tsukasa hurriedly covers his scores with his arms; he wouldn't want Leo to realize how terrible he is at composing. 

"I didn't write any for Knights", Tsukasa dryly replies; a rebuff in hope the king will drop the subject.

But as sure as you can't control a hurricane, you cannot force Leo to do what you want. "Then it's fine. You only have to write a new one!" 

Tsukasa sighs. "What's wrong with the songs we're using? They're made by a professional. Surely, they are better than my own." A professional hired by the Tsukinaga, so Tsukasa can understand he's not fond of the situation, but-

"I want to sing Suo's songs", Leo retorts. 

What can he reply to that?

Nothing. His insides burn, hot lava running through his chest while he tries to keep his composure. His grasp on his pen tightens. The look he gives to Leo is fiery, enough, perhaps, to convince this airhead not to bother him anymore.

Then Leo's beam turns into a sad smile.

"I'll wait, then. Until you can compose a song you're proud of."

*

But how long will Leo wait for Tsukasa? A week, a month, a year?

At some point, he's bound to forget. Just like he has forgotten how to pronounce Tsukasa's name properly, just like he forgets to go to practice. There's a limit to the things he can notice, and Tsukasa is afraid he will lose sight of him, too.

Nonetheless, _he_ will be there for Leo. He's the first one who notices something is off with him, when their leader's petulant grin is a tad less wide than usual - they're on stage, performing for their fans, crushing their enemies with the power of their songs (and they're so much more powerful than Tsukasa's, they're sharp blades cutting through the other idols' flesh while his are weak evidence of love), and Leo is the same as usual, except that his smile never reaches his eyes. And Tsukasa has looked after him for so long now - three months and twenty days, that much he can tell, not that he's counting precisely but he still keeps track of the time -so he notices the small differences. He wonders why it's so easy, for him - as easy as breathing. 

So when the performance ends, and they have to leave the stage, Tsukasa grabs Leo's wrist and drags him in a corner. He feels the others' eyes on him, but they've seen them in even worse situations, Tsukasa bearing Leo on his back like Ritsu's friend sometimes does from him, or sitting as his feet because it's more intimate than taking the seat before him. He drags Leo with him, surprised by his silence and compliance. 

The older boy's smile has faded when Tsukasa finally looks at his face. 

"You're going to tell me to spit it out", Leo whispers. And yes, that's more or less what Tsukasa wished to say, so he only nods.

Leo guessed the words, but he doesn't realize everything Tsukasa has in mind. He'd like to hug Leo, to put his arms around the small king and caress his hair. But he's refrained by pudor, for sure, and the weight of his love would crush him if he dared.

"Your family?" Tsukasa guesses.

Leo sighs. "My father has been worse, lately. His health has deteriorated, so he's constantly on my back. Telling me I should give up on Knights and become a proper heir. But I don't want to!" He then chuckles, completely out of the blue, and it startles Tsukasa. "Oh, but I guess I can offer you my crown, Suo! Come on, kill me and sit on my throne!"

Tsukasa blinks. He truly hates seeing Leo like that, suffering from his personal situation - being the only heir to a rich family who doesn't approve of him being an idol must be hard. Not that Tsukasa can understand; his own parents were okay with letting him do what he wants. He can't imagine how horrible it is, to lack his parents' support; to have his passion frowned upon and rejected so boldly.

"Don't say something stupid, leader. I can't be the king. This title belongs to you."

"Why? Because I'm rich and charismatic?" Leo doesn't try to show off by saying so; he doesn't care about that at all. These are other people's words, words he repeats because they're supposed to be compliments, but Tsukasa knows how hurtful they can be. "You have plenty of qualities too, Suo! You deserve to be king too!"

He appreciates the compliment, but he's not an idiot. A king needs to have one quality, one distinction, and for sure Tsukasa doesn't have it. "No, you're our leader because you brought us along. You inspire us when we doubt, you give us a reason to get back on our feet when we fall, you… You're the reason Knights exists in the first place." 

The words feel odd on his tongue, but not false. They're all in Tsukasa's mind whenever he thinks about Leo, and now that they just left the stage, he realizes how important they are. Would he still find the motivation to sing and dance when he knows he's still green and he still has so much to learn? Oh, he wouldn't even be an idol, if not for Leo. 

Leo's smile is tainted by sorrow. "But my hands are red from blood, Suo. Yours are still clean. With you, we could open a new path for Knights." 

Once again, he's thinking about his unit, but Tsukasa wants to make sure his leader's family situation wasn't hindering him. Not because they're sharing the same stage: because he cares about him. As a person. And he wants to know what it means, to belong to a wealthy family. He always believed an heir had it easy, with the problem of money erased, but that doesn't mean freedom at all. 

Tsukasa sighs. He takes Leo's hand in his, hoping to give him a sense of comfort. Leo's eyes are wide open. But he doesn't get away, so Tsukasa supposed he too enjoys it. 

"If you ever think you can't take it anymore, then please, hand me the crown. But as long as your family doesn't bother you, it's yours. You're a knight too, _Leader_ , you can't give up without a fight." 

Part of him wants to say he'd rebel if his king lost his wish to protect them. Part of him wants to say he should fight until the end. But that would be too much role-playing, and not appropriate for the situation. Leo is a human, he's pressured by his family, by his teammates, so if he ever wants to stop, Tsukasa isn't allowed to disagree. 

He thinks Leo would do the same for him, if their positions were reversed. 

***

Leo never told Tsukasa that he stole one of his songs. Well, not the whole, only one page, and the younger believes he has lost it. The song is incomplete because of Leo's mischief, so he should feel guilty - but he doesn't. Instead, it has become a secret between him and Tsukasa, the secret of his music. 

Leo played the score once he got home. He knows Tsukasa doesn't have much experience and culture in the field, but to his trained ears, it doesn't sound that different from the best masterpieces he has learnt to perform. The melody is soft but also fierce, it's a constant balance between the two opposites, fire and ice, love and hate, and the result is divine. Leo is on edge, he's ravished, he's never felt so relaxed before. 

Leo ignores why Tsukasa chose to become an idol, but he could be a composer. He recorded the stolen sheet, and it's really short, but he likes to listen to it on repeat when he works because even his father seems to like it. 

Does Tsukasa realize the influence he has on Leo's work? He must be the only one who hasn't understood. But Leo notices the looks on the three other members of Knights, and at some point, Izumi looked close to say something, but then he restrained himself. They could say something, anyway: the music is the same but their choreography, their artistic choices are not; they became more than allies. He asks them to act as his friends, as people who _chose_ to stay by his side because of who he is and not of his birth. He never dared to ask this before, thinking it was too much. 

Most evenings, Leo daydreams about Tsukasa. There's something about him that is truly royal, even though he's a commoner. He has more nobility in his heart than any of the people Leo meets during social gatherings between his peers. However, that's not the only thing that attracts him to Tsukasa. 

Their youngest member is also cute, a bit extreme sometimes, too fond of sweets, clumsy, not very good at understanding his own value. And for all of this, Leo cherishes him. 

*

They're alone today, just the two of them under the kotatsu while the others work on individual jobs. They could practice together, or they could go home, but Leo isn't fond of the atmosphere of his. Now that his father is sick, the pressure has increased; every bit of his time is determined by his mother, and he's lucky she still allows him to train after school. That's why he stays, because at least he's free to do whatever he wants for an hour or two. 

Why Tsukasa stays is a mystery. The boy has already finished his homework and he hasn't taken his music sheets with him. Lately, he tries to avoid composing in front of him, as if he's afraid Leo will ask him for a song. In truth, he wants to, but he refrains. There's something comforting, knowing your friend does what he likes. He now reads a book whose title is in English, which is surprising because while Leo _had_ to learn from a young age, he never expected someone like Tsukasa to be fluent. Life is surprising, in a good way. 

Leo drops his head against the table and observes Tsukasa in silence. The other doesn't seem to notice that; if he did, he'd be blushing by now, Leo knows that's his usual reaction. It's easy to rile Tsukasa up, to turn his face as red as his hair, and most of the time Leo doesn't even try hard. He understands that, as the king and an upperclassman, he has some leverage over Tsukasa, and the last thing he wants to do is to truly embarrass him. 

He's warm and comfortable; being with Tsukasa makes him feel safe, and soon he starts to doze off. He closes his eyes, and he hears almost nothing except for the sound of page-turning, from time to time - and it's a rather low one. 

Then, from what he hears, Tsukasa closes the book and puts it down. Fingers find their way through Leo's hair; hesitant at first, they then start to caress his scalp, and it's soothing. It reminds him of what his mother did when he was still a child. Those were golden times when he had no expectations pushed onto him. 

"I know you're still awake, _Leader_. Please don't fall asleep, that could be dangerous." 

"You're here", is all Leo says. But he means much more: that he doesn't worry about anything if Tsukasa is with him. The fingers don't stop their dance, and while they don't always follow the pattern Leo would like best, they're helping him relax. If this goes on, he will fall asleep for real.

"You're such a child." Tsukasa's tone is a bit harsh, but the way his hand moves conveys his feelings properly. Since when does he care that much? 

"That's my selling point", Leo mutters. 

"No, it's annoying. Your selling point is your cool persona. People like you because you look like you're going to slay a dragon." 

It's rare of Tsukasa to be so expressive, but just like his songs, he too has the ability to lace remarks and compliments. He is cold and hot at the same time, which would be disconcerting if Leo wasn't Leo, so he doesn't try to figure out what Tsukasa feels. He believes his feelings are in between two emotions, anyway. 

"Oh, that's a nice idea. Let's put a dragon onstage, next time!" 

"It would take too much space." The fact that Tsukasa replies seriously when he could just brush it off is endearing. 

"Then one of us has to disguise! Think about it, Suo, I want to nap." 

The hand on his head stops. "That is your job, _Leader_. But I suggest you give up this idea. Knights is better with its five members." 

Five, huh. Sometimes Leo doesn't know if he's really one of them. Not that he doesn't want to be, but does he deserve his place? He became a king without doing anything and he's not even sure his parents won't force him to give up on becoming an idol. Maybe it'd be better if they were only four, or if Tsukasa owned the crown. 

Leo opens his eyes. Tsukasa is looking at him with the fondest look he has ever seen on him. He's the most beautiful boy Leo knows and he wishes those purple irises would stay on him for eternity, because it feels good to be looked at that way. "But I'll always listen to your ideas." 

Tsukasa looks away. His cheeks are pink, now, so he is embarrassed. Leo doesn't understand. Why would he be disturbed by the fact Leo listens to him?

"Also, Suo, if you stop patting my head, I will _really_ fall asleep."

It feels like pushing his luck, but it's fine because Tsukasa's fingers find their way to his head again.

*

Replying to fans' questions isn't the easiest thing to do. There are things they are not allowed to tell, and other things they wish to keep secrets. Leo being a Tsukinaga, he often has to depict an idyllic portrayal of his home, explaining his parents support his choices, they trust he can be an idol and an heir at the same time, and other things like that. They're not lies, they're truths laced with illusions.

Except for this one question, Leo tries to answer faithfully. He knows the others try, too, even if there are things they don't like to talk about. Ritsu avoids talking about his brother completely, as he doesn't want to be seen as "Sakuma Rei's younger sibling". Izumi protects the fashion industry's secrets, but Leo remembers some crude anecdotes he once delivered when he was distressed about a scandal. Arashi is careful while talking about her gender, she has this resilient smile whenever people are brushing away her concerns, and Leo's heart always sinks when he hears some of the comments she gets. He wishes he could make Knights stronger for them so that they would talk about the serious issues they have to keep quiet.

Tsukasa, too, has questions he'd rather not answer. Leo is surprised, however, to discover which one is the first of the list. He knows his knight well enough now to notice the sight of his embarrassment: slight hesitations, words chosen too carefully, fingers fiddling on his laps, and the way he casts glances at Leo, as if gauging his reactions. 

Leo doesn't ask right away; at first, it escapes his mind, as many things do when he's not careful enough. Forgetting is easy, and it clears his thoughts from the darkest ones. But then one day he suddenly remembers the question.

"Why did you become an idol, Suo?"

Tsukasa stops right in his tracks. They're outside, walking together - _walking home_ , or at least a part of the way, since Leo convinced his driver to wait for him at another point -, so this isn't the kind of question he should ask, but they're alone and nobody is listening.

"That's… what's _your_ reason, _Leader_?"

This is an attempt at avoiding to answer, but Leo doesn't mind. "Well, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Taking after my father is fine, but I wanted more? And I saw idols performing once, I thought they were cool and I decided to do the same thing!"

It was nothing glorious, really, just a simple story. The real story is Leo trying to convince his parents that he can become an idol. Hours of arguments, of shouts, of cries, this would make a great epic poem if he was a writer.

Tsukasa nods. He doesn't talk for a minute and Leo doesn't press him. Then the younger sighs. "It was because of an idol I saw once."

Leo didn't expect this reply. An idol? Who? This is the first time he's heard Tsukasa talking about an idol he admires. He has, of course, mentioned he joined Knights because he was impressed by their skills and he enjoyed the concept of the unit. However, that didn't explain why he joined Yumenosaki in the first place.

Tsukasa goes on: "I was in a rough period of my life. I had no motivation whatsoever, I didn't know what I wished to do." _Just like me_ , Leo thinks, but for Tsukasa, the situation was worse: he didn't have a fallback solution. "There was music coming from outside the shop I was visiting. It was a street performance, so I decided to go and watch." 

A street performance. Come to think of it, Leo did some when Knights wasn't Knights. They couldn't book a venue, so this was a great opportunity for them to get known. Now, they're renowned, but Leo misses the simplicity of these times. There's something unique when you have to perform in a place that wasn't meant for that.

"There was… one of the idols. He was incredible. Fierce and elegant. He had an incredible voice, too. All of the guys were good, but when he sang, it felt as if time was freezing. All eyes were drawn to him. And, of course, mine too." 

Tsukasa speaks in a low, soft tone, and for a second, Leo thinks he talks about him. But that can't be. There's no way Tsukasa has ever been to one of his previous units' performance, much less be attracted to him. 

"I see. That's a good reason, then!" Leo comments. He acts as if he understands, but in truth, he's still confused.

***

Requiem. That is another kind of duel, one Tsukasa doesn't feel ready to fight.

He doesn't have a say, though. Leo has decided he wanted to give up on his crown, and there's nothing he can do, except supporting him. Even if it means killing the prince he has always admired, his reason to be an idol, the light of his life. 

Tsukinaga Leo deserves to be freed. This is the only reason Tsukasa needs.

When he presents the song he wants Knights to perform for his turn as the king - a song he has composed himself, but he doesn't confess it, only telling them he got it from a friend -, he feels anxious. His upperclassmen listen to the song with a focused expression, none of their feelings are visible on their faces. When the music stops, no one talks, and the silence is so heavy Tsukasa wants to hide.

Then Leo jumps and hugs him. "It's wonderful, Suo! I can't wait to try it!"

Tsukasa is lost. The others have already started to work on their parts' choreography last week while he was still struggling with the choice of his song. He doesn't even see what he could do with that. This is his sound but he never really paid attention to it before, and he's not sure of what he can do with it. 

Leo's enthusiasm is the key, he realizes. He needs to let go of his doubts and to accept his flaws. "This is what we will do", he claims. 

*

Things never go as planned on stage, and Requiem isn't any exception for Tsukasa. 

When it's time for his turn, for his song to be heard for the first time, he almost forgets how to breathe, exhaling long puffs of air to calm himself. The lights are blinding; he cannot see the audience, he's barely aware of them actually, the sea of coloured light points turning to grey when he gets in position. At least he perceives the presence of the other four, but he almost loses this knowledge when the music starts. _His_ music, he thinks, and his voice wavers, his limbs lack elegance and his dance is rough; at least he doesn't make any mistakes, but he can't lead the others when he's surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty. They don't follow him, they support him, and this is proof he's not ready, he's still a baby knight and doesn't have the quality of a king. 

All in all, his performance isn't the worst. The last place goes to Ritsu; someone who, just like him, cannot imagine Knights without Leo, someone who drowns himself in his self-loathing and doesn't want to move forward. Tsukasa does. But he can't win against Arashi. 

So she'll be the king - and Tsukasa doesn't mind, because he's not ready, because he's not strong enough. 

But she says, _Your song was beautiful, Tsukasa-chan_ , and she means it, she liked his performance more than hers, and Tsukasa doesn't understand, but he ends up with the crown on his head. 

He, the commoner who daydreamt about a king, suddenly earns the right to stand next to Leo. 

And Leo becomes a common man. 

And when the pressure goes down, and he's alone with Leo, and Leo puts his head on Tsukasa's lap as if he was his personal pillow, Leo says: "I knew it would be you." 

Tsukasa doesn't understand. He gets it, why Leo made him fight for the throne, but he doesn't understand why he won. "With me, Knights won't go far. I don't have the skills to stand in front of you."

"But it's all about the heart", Leo retorts. Even if he's stepping down, he's still royalty, so maybe he's right. Maybe it's about what feelings make your heart beat, and not where you come from. "Arashi is a softie. She can't lead a belligerent unit and she knows it. You put us before yourself and you'd die for us. This is what we need." Leo is usually so careless, it feels weird whenever he's serious, and lately, he often is with Tsukasa. "Besides, you have your own weapon, right? These songs that you write, they say how great a leader you will be. Ah, I hope you will share them with us! They're too cool, how could you keep for yourself, stupid brat!" 

The youngest leans in and leaves a kiss on his head. He has always thought his place was by Leo's side, but he never imagined himself as an equal. He was wrong. Only one thing matters: Tsukasa wants to be with Leo, and Leo wants to be with Tsukasa. 

"Is this a way to talk to your new king, Leo-san?" 


End file.
